Health Benefits and Challenges of Mung Bean Bioactive Compounds: A Systematic Review of <italic>In Vivo</italic> Evidence for Functional Food Applications.

Mung beans have been extensively studied for their health benefits, yet challenges persist in optimizing their use in functional foods and ensuring safety. This review highlights bioactive compounds in mung beans and their hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-anemic, antistress, anti-obesity, and anti-Alzheimer’s effects. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science in January 2024 yielded 8,003 records, with 30 <italic>in vivo</italic> studies meeting inclusion criteria. Hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic effects were reported in 33% of studies, while antidiabetic effects were observed in 30%, and antihypertensive activity in 17%. The review also addresses food safety considerations, including anti-nutritional factors, processing methods like fermentation and hydrolysis, and risks such as allergenic responses or microbial contamination. However, current research faces limitations, including reliance on animal models, variability in preparation methods, and lack of standardization, hindering translation to human applications. To bridge these gaps, this review recommends future research on human clinical trials, standardized preparation protocols, and underexplored therapeutic areas like anti-Alzheimer and anti-anemic effects. By evaluating different parts of the mung bean (e.g. sprouts, extracts, proteins, and coats) and their preparation methods, this review aims to guide the development of safe, functional foods and nutraceuticals, linking preclinical findings to practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]